For a gray rainy day. I was very happy to get this latest Akwaaba Music release last week from Skeat (pronounced Skea-tee) out of Botswana. I’ve seen The Very Best perform a few times already (including down in Austin at SXSW), but for some reason I hadn’t given their album a proper listen until just recently. This track is a standout for me- as is the remix from DJ Sabo, but you’ll have to dig that one up yourself! Sounds from Soweto coming soon…

Skeat :       Dumelang
taken from the album Basimanyana Mamela Meropa available on iTunes

The Very Best :       Nsokoto
taken from the album Warm Heart of Africa

It looks like Nas might be reading this blog. Way back when it was still called “Captain’s Crate” I posted this bootleg 12″ remix of a Mulatu Astatke song called “Yegelle Tezeta”. I was playing that remix out a lot- perfect slow builder which delivers with a HUGE drum break after 4 1/2 minutes. Next up, young Murphy posts the brand new Gil Scott-Heron single as soon as it’s dropped and gives it proper shine. Then what should happen? Nas & Damian Marley team up (someone in heaven was listening to people’s prayers) and drop the first single from their new album Distant Relatives. What’s this? A rework of that same Mulatu record. Genius. But am I really to believe that it’s merely coincidence that then he hops on the new Gil single too? Just by chance? Maybe, but maaaaaybe not. If you’re Nas and you’re reading this, give a shout in the comments! And for the rest of you, enjoy this remix I cranked out yesterday, adding drums and a little dirty synth to make this epic collabo track a little more playable when DJ-ing.

Last note: I’m throwing this big party with my boy DJ Enrock tomorrow (Fri) night in downtown BK, come through! Details here

Gil Scott-Heron & Nas :       New York Is Killing Me (Chuck Wild Remix)

Damian Marley & Nas :       As We Enter

Nephews Of Phela :       Mulah 2

The most titillating aspect of listening to (or producing) a remix, has to be imagining the original artist coming in contact with the remixer. Even on the most digital and choppy sounding musical collages I try to imagine the artists jamming in a basement together, or playing for quarters with a makeshift soundsystem powered by a car battery on the subway platform. Often separated by oceans, decades, languages and rhythms, a good remix inspires me with the vision of all those barriers disappearing. I was happy to hear from a regular reader in Brazil  (DJ Mulher) who similarly loved the Aloe Blacc song I posted last week and sent me this very club-worthy rendition she made with her DJ/remix crew called Pristine Blusters (Caribbean Sea skipped in a single bound!). Sabo, G.R.C. and Kraak & Smaak are all homies who I feel proud to know. Debruit is new to me, but after hearing his latest EP (songs I would classify as grade-A Gumbo Funk) I can tell we would get along nicely. I think I met one of the cats from Dub Traffik Control once, but even if not, this record is put out by my favorite Bastard, so it feels like family. Now, uprocking alone in my apartment while listening to these tracks, my titties undulate, thus, titillation complete. Go pay for some music by these folks to help them quit their dayjobs.

Debruit :       Nigeria What?

Sabo :       Soundbwoy Cumbia

Aloe Blacc :       I Need a Dollar (Pristine Blusters & DJ Mulher Remix)

Dub Traffik Control :       Bongo Dub

Greenwood Rhythm Coalition :       Oye Dub

Zuco 103 :       Back Home (Kraak & Smaak Remix)

Just a couple great songs for you today. Before I went through all the promo CD’s I got at SXSW, I realized I had never even listened to half of the one’s I got there last year. I get tons of promos every week and it’s pretty easy for songs to slip through the cracks and be forgotten, or for entire stacks of CD’s to remain untouched for a year. But now that I’m unemployed- which brings particular poignancy to today’s first song (from a promo CD)- I actually do have more time to listen to music. And while most of the promo’s I get are total garbage, I still keep listening to find unknown gems like today’s second song from Ellie Holland. I guess I should have listened to her promo a while ago because her myspace page has since gone defunct and I can’t find any traces of her on google. I hope this means she’s just changed her performing name and not that she’s given up singing. If you’re not familiar with Aloe Blacc, get acquainted, he’s a little easier to track down.

Aloe Blacc :       I Need A Dollar

Ellie Holland :       Guilty Man

Haven’t had a chance to post anything because I’ve been caught up entirely in the madness of SXSW in Austin, TX all week. We played 5 shows in as many days (my count might be a little off since we also jumped up on stage with other bands a bunch too). If you’ve never experienced this particular music festival, it’s hard to explain just how overwhelming it is to be in a small city with literally thousands of bands all playing simultaneously, clashing guitars competing for ear time every ten steps. I saw so many artists perform in such a small time period, the highlights reel alone could constitute a month’s worth of blog posts (Estelle, Dam Funk, Chico Mann, The Force, Major Lazer, The Very Best, Ninjasonik, DJ Craze, Shinobi Ninja, Juiceboxxx…). I won’t even try to cover it all, instead I wanted to leave you with a tiny taste from a fellow Brooklynite band who played on a late sunny afternoon to a crowd of about 20 people including me. I did a handful of interviews with The Beatards as well, met some amazing folks (whattup Scoop Deville, Rad Girls, The Pink Pony hahaa!), and got into just enough trouble (one black eye in the band ain’t bad). Peep the freestyle we did for PBS, more to come soon…

Beach Fossils :       Daydream

You might think that after all these years as a DJ I’d learn to be a better party promoter, somehow I’m still haven’t. BUT this is my last minute shout out to all you peoples and friends in and near NYC- COME OUT TONITE! I’m very proud of my new music video (watch it in HD!), and I’m going to be celebrating in FULL FORM. Last show before going to SXSW, last show before the new album is finished, last show until who knows when. Come party with us!

And here’s one song I hope to play tomorrow late nite…

Lee Douglass :       Same Changes